The invention relates to an auxiliary device for displacing a payload receptacle of an elevator.
Elevators with an auxiliary device of this kind are usually used for the transport of persons or goods in a vertical direction between at least two vertically offset stations and are arranged in an elevator shaft in or at a building. The wall bounding the elevator shaft has at the level of each station a loading/unloading opening which is closable by means of a door device and at which a waiting zone adjoins, in which the payloads and/or passengers are disposed before loading or after unloading of the payload receptacle. Such an elevator essentially comprises the mentioned payload receptacle, for example a platform or a cage, a counterweight for the payload receptacle, a drive device, a braking device, at least one flexible support and drive element, i.e. a cable or rope, which runs over a drive pulley of the drive device and is connected on one side of the drive pulley with the payload receptacle and on the other side of the drive pulley with the counterweight. Moreover, the elevator possesses the required electronic power and control system. The drive device is disposed in the uppermost region of the elevator shaft above the zone thereof usable by the payload receptacle. If braking takes place in consequence of a technical problem or an emergency braking, then the load receptacle is usually not disposed in one of the stations. The auxiliary device is provided for such a case and serves the purpose of bringing the payload receptacle to one of the stations in short time, so that the persons and/or goods that are transported do not have to remain in or on the payload receptacle in the elevator shaft. The auxiliary device comprises on the one hand a temporarily activatable brake release device, by which the brake is released, and on the other hand an auxiliary device actuable, when the brake release device is activated, in order to raise or lower the payload receptacle and in order for it to brought into one of the stations or at least into a region in the station vicinity, where a risk-free unloading can take place. For elevators which are mounted in buildings with few storeys and are designed for transport of relatively small payloads, simple, manually actuable and mechanically operating brake release and auxiliary drive devices are preferably provided.
EP 0 947 460 A1 describes such an auxiliary device for an elevator for persons, with a brake release device and an auxiliary drive device. The brake release device and the auxiliary drive device are actuated by a multi-part crank rod linkage. The upper end of the crank rod linkage is its operative end. It is coupled or couplable with the brake release device and the auxiliary drive device and is disposed in the uppermost part of the elevator shaft. The lower end of the crank rod linkage is its actuating end and is provided with the requisite actuating handle elements. The crank rod linkage is pivotably constructed and mounted in such a manner that it can be pivoted out of a rest setting, in which it is disposed completely in the elevator shaft, into a working setting in which its actuating end projects through an opening of a wall bounding the elevator shaft or is actuable from such an opening. This opening is disposed in the region of the waiting area of the uppermost station of the elevator, so that the crank rod linkage can be readily actuated at its actuating end by way of the actuating handle elements by a person standing in the waiting area of this station. The obvious disadvantage of this otherwise very suitable device is to be seen in that its actuation has to take place directly below the drive region of the elevator shaft, for which purpose the opening is usually arranged at the level of the uppermost station or of the uppermost floor served by the elevator. This disadvantage is of particular significance if this station is disposed within a residential unit, as is frequently the case in superior dwellings and particularly in maisonette dwellings and penthouse dwellings.
There has become known by DE GM 296 15 921 U1 an auxiliary device which is improved with respect thereto, in which the operation of the device can take place from a location disposed at a certain distance from the uppermost station of the elevator. However, this device is of comparatively complicated construction.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an auxiliary device of the kind stated above which is simple with respect to construction, arrangement and operation and can be used from a location disposed at one or more floors below the uppermost station served by the elevator.
The auxiliary device according to the invention comprises, for activation of the brake release device and for actuation of the auxiliary drive device, a conventional crank rod linkage, the effective length of which is, however, enlarged in vertical direction by a rod linkage extension, which is arranged between the brake release device and the auxiliary drive device on the one hand and the conventional crank rod linkage on the other hand. Thus, the length elements of the conventional crank rod linkage are not constructed to be longer, but essentially there is used a crank rod linkage in a conventional length which bridges over a height difference of at most one floor. The rod linkage extension is connected to the upper end of this crank rod linkage. The operative end of the crank rod linkage is coupled with the lower end of the rod linkage extension, and the actuating end of the crank rod linkage can be brought from a rest setting within the elevator shaft into a working setting in which it is actuable by a person disposed outside the elevator shaft and operating the auxiliary device. For this purpose, an opening is provided in the wall of the elevator shaft.
The effective length of the rod linkage extension is selected in dependence on the vertical spacing between the operative end of the crank rod linkage and the brake release device and the auxiliary drive device.
It has proved to be favorable to construct the rod linkage extension in such a manner that it is composed of several extension elements arranged in series.
It is particularly advantageous to construct one, or optionally also several, extension elements to be resilient, i.e. as a flexible shaft. For example, this allows a resilient extension element, which is directly coupled with the brake release device and the auxiliary drive device, to arrange the downwardly following extension element at a particularly favorable position. The lowermost extension element can also be constructed resiliently, in order to arrange the crank rod linkage connected thereto at a suitable position.
In general, that extension element which has the greatest effective length in the vertical direction is constructed rigidly and mounted at a stationary location in the elevator shaft.
The operative end of the actual crank rod linkage is then coupled with the lowermost extension element of the rod linkage extension. The coupling takes place at a coupling location about which the crank rod linkage is thus pivotable out of its rest position.
By markings supplied at appropriate spacings to the flexible support and drive element it can be detected, by a view through the opening, when the payload receptacle has reached the exact height position of a station.
Preferably, the auxiliary device also comprises an image transmission device, with a sensor for detection of images of the uppermost region of the elevator shaft, with a display device for visualization of these images in the region of the opening and with the transfer path for connecting the sensor with the display device for the purpose of transmission of the images.
So that, in a given case, a user of the elevator who is located in a elevator standing outside a station, can himself or herself actuate the brake release device and the auxiliary drive device and thereby release himself or herself, there is additionally provided by means of a flexible shaft a connection between the brake release device and the auxiliary drive device on the one hand and an auxiliary crank rod linkage on the other hand, which can be used from the blocked payload receptacle or cage. The end of the auxiliary crank rod linkage to be actuated from the payload receptacle can be arranged behind a door or a flap, the locking mechanism of which is preferably provided with a lead seal for avoidance of misuse of the auxiliary crank rod linkage. Moreover, the above-mentioned image transmission device can comprise an auxiliary display device, which is viewable from the payload receptacle.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred